Jan 27, 2020 | Amateur Radio, ARES, News, Public Service
ARRL EPA Section Manager, George Miller, W3GWM, and Atlantic Division Vice-Director, Bob Famiglio, K3RF urge Pennsylvania amateurs to write to their PA State Senators about House Bill 37.
On HB 37, now in the Transportation Committee:
1. There is a serious flaw in the draft as it now stands. By omission, it prohibits the operation of VHF or HF amateur radios in Pennsylvania moving vehicles.
2. Amateur Radio, using ARES-RACES, has provided Disaster Communications to millions of citizens since the 1930s. Ham Operators have provided reliable communications out of the affected areas during Hurricane Agnes in 1972, the Johnstown Flood in 1977, Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant meltdown, 1999, Flight 93 Crash, Shanksville, 2001, Tropical Storm Henri, 2002, the Quecreek Mine Disaster in 2002, Campbelltown Tornado 2004, dozens of weather and natural disasters on I-80, I-376, I-81, I-95, I-476, I-99, I-76 and the 2017 PA Turnpike Snow event, where Ham Operators assisted PEMA in maintaining communications to WPA.
3. In order to perform this function, it is imperative that these trained and FCC-licensed radio operators are permitted to communicate by radio while operating their vehicles.
4. Oftentimes, during an incident, cars, and trucks provide the only power and antenna platforms available. These volunteers, who act as operators and repair technicians, can provide both voice and digital communications completely devoid of any commercial infrastructure such as cell phone towers or the Internet.
5. Amateur Radio has mutual aid agreements with dozens of Fire Companies, PA County Departments of Emergency Services as well as PEMA, CAP, FEMA, and the PA State Police, who rely on the back-up communications provided by amateur radio ARES-RACES operators.
6. For over 20 years, ARES-RACES operators have contributed to the bi-annual drills of the Peach Bottom and Limerick Nuclear Power Plants, plus the drills at the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia International Airports. These points should provide information for your State Senators. I can’t stress enough how important it is for us all to take action on this. As this bill is written you will be forced to remove all radio equipment from your vehicles, including handheld radios.
If you have any questions, please contact George, W3GWM. You may refer your State Senators to him.
Nov 3, 2019 | About PAARC, Club Meeting, Member News, News
At the November 1, 2019 meeting we held nominations for the 2020 PAARC Board of Directors. The following members were nominated for positions, and since they were the only nominations, they accepted these positions on the board for next year:
2020 Officers with one year terms:
President – Wes Hammerschmidt, N3HWH
Vice-President – Ed Leshinskie, K3BVQ
Treasurer – Nate Rosenthal, N2ADD
Secretary – Melody Bowers, KB3SJR
Executive Board Member Elected to a 3 year term ending Dec. 2022:
Jay Moyer, K3JY (finishing a term in 2019, and re-elected)
2020 Board Members who continue to serve their terms:
Executive Board – Pete Kobak, K0BAK
Executive Board – Steve Sobota, K3ALV
Club License Trustee – Bob Rex, K3DBD
We are grateful for all who served the board in 2019 including those named above, plus Bill Stauffer, KA3RMM (Club License Trustee) and Ben Trave, K3BJT (Vice-President). Thank you all for stepping forward to lead the club. And thank you to all who voted at the 11/1/19 meeting.
Pottstown Area Amateur Radio Club (PAARC) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization focused on education.
Nov 8, 2019 | ARRL, Nets, News
Posted: 11/18/19: Net Control Operators are needed for EPAEPTN. At the moment I have openings available Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. NCS is also needed for the PA Fone Net on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If you are interested in any session, please contact me. Experience not necessary. NCS is really easy and we will provide training.
73,
George W3GWM
Eastern PA Section Manager
w3gwm@arrl.org
Jul 21, 2019 | News
Former CQ Public Service Columist, Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO, has been awarded Russia’s E.T. Krenkel Medal, a prestigious honor bestowed on individuals and organizations for outstanding global contributions to Amateur Radio. A long time ARRL volunteer, Josuweit has served in many section and national ARRL positions. He reported on amateur radio public service and emergency communications for over 10 years. In addition he has been active in local clubs in the Philadelphia area. Josuweit currently serves on the Holmesburg Amateur Radio Club’s Board of Directors, and is trustee of WM3PEN, one of the bonus stations active during the 13 Colonies Special Event.
The award’s namesake, Ernst Teodorovich Krenkel, was a radio amateur who, over the years, used the call signs RAEM, U3AA, and UA3AA. Born in Poland, Krenkel was an Arctic explorer who took part in the first Soviet “drifting station,” North Pole-1. He was made a “Hero of the Soviet Union” in 1938 for his exploits. Among other things the award recognizes individuals around the world who have had a role in the Mass Media and Club Radio Stations.
Krenkel’s son, T.E. Krenkel, is among the four signatories to the award certificate. The younger Krenkel, a professor at the Moscow Technical College of Telecommunication and Informatics, pointed out that his father served as the first chairman of the Central Radio Club in the USSR. Krenkel’s image appears on postage stamps from the USSR and Russia, and he authored a biography, My Callsign is RAEM. In the era when all radio amateurs received QSL cards via Box 88, Moscow, Krenkel was allowed to have his own postal address on his QSLs and was issued the non-standard RAEM call sign, which lacked a numeral.
Josuweit is the 201st recipient of the award and only the 24th person in North America to be so honored. Further information on the award can be found at: http://krenkelmedal.org/index.php?id=49
Dec 13, 2019 | Club event, Club Meeting, License Exams, News
Join PAARC members on Friday, Jan. 3rd, 2020 at 7:00 pm at St. James Lutheran Church, 93 Kugler Rd., Limerick, PA for a presentation by Walt, KB3SBC, and area author Ed, WA3WSJ, on their many travels in pursuit of amateur radio contacts. See WA3WSJ’s webpage for his adventures with Pedestrian Mobile.
An Amateur Radio license exam will take place at 5:00 pm prior to the meeting. Visit the License Exam webpage for details on how to sign up.
